Dispensing cap



Aug 16, 1955 R. BERNHARDT Y2,715,485

DISPENSING CAP Filed Feb. 9, 1950 United States Patent Giice DlSPENShiGCAP Rudolph Bernhardt, Evanston, Ill.

Application February 9, 195i), Serial No. 143,294

3 Claims. (Cl. 222-498) This invention relates to the dispensing art andpertains more specifically to an improved dripless server or containerdispensing cap particularly suitable for dispensing strained honey,various other liquids, and 'granular substances.

An important object of the present invention is to provide, in a verysimple and inexpensive dispensing cap or dispensing device, such forexample as that disclosed and claimed in my copending application SerialNo. 111,313, filed August 18, 1949, now Patent No. 2,657,837,

dated November 3, 1953, having a dispensing opening therein and a slideselectively movable to open and closed positions with respect to theopening, improved means for causing the slide to snap from its closedposition into its open position and from its open position into itsclosed position as the slide is moved from one of these positions towardthe other, said means serving to retain the slide in either of itsselected positions and thus preventing inadvertent opening and closingof the dispensing device.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing cap ofthe kind stated above comprising only two pieces, each piece beingcapable of fabrication in plastic or like material, and said piecesbeing easily assembled and disassembled for simplicity of manufactureand ease in cleaning.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the following description of a preferred embodimentthereof, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a side view of a dripless server or diS- pensing cap embodyingthe present invention, the cap being shown applied to the top of acontainer which is illustrated only in part;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the cap showing the slide thereon in openposition;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the cap taken on line 3 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on line 4--4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view like that of Fig. 4, but showing the slide in itsclosed position; and

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan View of the cap showing the slide in its closedposition.

ln the drawing, the numeral 11 indicates, generally, a body element of adispensing cap constructed in accordance with the present invention. Atop portion 12 of the body element is circular in shape (Fig. 2) andslightly domed (Fig. 3) and has depending therefrom, around itsperiphery, an annular skirt 13 which is internally threaded as at 14 toreceive the external threads on a neck of a container 15 suitable forcontaining such substances as strained honey, syrup and various otherliquids, as well as granular products such as sugar or salt. lf desired,the external or outer surface of the skirt 13 may be knurled as at 16 toprovide a better grip for manually threading the body element 11 ontothe threads of the container 15, and for removing it therefrom. At thejunction of the skirt 13 and the top portion 12 of the body element, anannular shoulder 17 may be provided upon the interior surface of thebody element above the threads 14 to seat upon the rim or upper edge ofthe month of the container.

Formed upon the top 12 of the body element 11 is a raised, ramp-likeportio-n indicated generally by the numeral 13 in the drawing. Thisinclined ramp portion is integral with the top 12 and comprises twowedgeshaped, upstanding side walls 19 and 20 which converge with theexternal surface of the top 12 at their right ends, as seen in Fig. l.At their left ends, the walls 19 and 20 are interconnected by anupstanding circular `vali 21 which serves as a pouring lip in a mannermore fully described below. Interconnecting and integral with theparallel upper edges of the upstanding side Walls 19 and 20 is a panel22 which, in conjunction with the tops of the upstanding walls 19, 2dand 21, provides a at but inclined top surface 22a (Fig. 2) on the rampportion 18. The under-surface 226 (Fig. 6) of the panel 22 is also datand inclined. A large dispensing opening 23 is provided in the panel 22at its left end, as best seen in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, and an elongated slot24 is formed in the panel 22 longitudinally thereof. lt will be notedthat the dispensing opening is defined by the circular upstanding wall21, the left-hand extremities of the side walls 19 and 29, as seen inFigs. 2, 4 and 5, and by the left-hand edge of the panel 22, as seen inthese same views.

Mounted upon the flat upper surface 22a of the ramp i portion 1S is aslide member 25 which has a dat undersurface upon which is provided aprotrusion 26 extending into the slot 24. The slide is preferably formedof plastic or other resilient material. Also provided upon the undersurface of the slide 25 is a mounting member for securing the slide tothe body element 11. This mounting member is in the form of anotherprotrusion spaced on the slide longitudinally from the protrusion 26 andcomprises a post 27 formed on the under-surface of the slide andextending downwardly through the slot 24. Formed upon the lowerextremity of the post are two ears 28 which ride upon the undersnrface22b of the panel 22 on opposite sides of the slot 24. Upon the uppersurface of the slide may be formed a raised, moon-shaped bead 29 which,with a raised hump 30 formed upon the right end of the slide, as viewedin Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5, provides a saddle for receiving the tip of athumb or nger by which an operator may reciprocally move the side 25 toits open and closed positions on the upper surface 22a of the rarnpportion 18 of the body element 11.

A short skirt or` rim-like bead 31 is formed on the underside of theslide 25 at its right-hand end beneath the hump 30. This skirt isdisposed immediately adjacent the edge of the slide and conforms to therounded shape of the end of the slide (Fig. 2), the skirt graduallyconverging with the ilat under-surface of the slide along the sides ofthe latter (Figs. 4 and 5). Arranged to cooperate with the skirt 31 is araised rib or boss 32 formed on the external surface of the top portion12 of the body element transverse the path of movement of the slide andthe skirt 31 thereon and adjacent the lower end of the ramp-like portion18.

From the foregoing description of the dispensing cap, taken inconnection with the drawing, it will readily be understood that theslide 25, in both its open position and in its closed position, coversthe elongated slot 24. The protrusion 26 and the second protrusion orpost 27 ride in the slot as the slide is moved from one position to theother. The protrusion 26 is preferably of a width slightly less thanthat of the slot, and the diameter of the post 27 is also approximatelyequal to the width of the protrusion. In the movement of the slide fromone position to another it will thus be understood that the protrusion26 and the post 27 ride along the two side walls of the slot 24 andserve to guide the movement of the slide, In moving the slide to itsclosed position, the protrusion 26 comes to rest against the left-handend of the slot 24 (Fig. 5) and serves as a stop to limit thelongitudinal movement of the slide into its closed position. On theother hand, when the slide is moved into its wide open position, thepost 27 comes to rest against the right-hand end of the slot 24 (Fig, 4)and serves as a stop for the slide in the open position. The two ears 28on the lower extremity of the post 27 are at right angles with thelongitudinal center line of the slot 24 and ride on the under-surface22h of the panel 22 (Fig. 6), thus slidably retaining the slide 25 onthe ramp portion of the body element 11.

In moving the slide from its closed position to its open position, theskirt 31 on the slide tirst rides up onto the rib 32 on the top 12 ofthe body element 11 and then, because of the resiliency of the slide,the skirt snaps over the rib as the slide is moved on into its openposition (Fig. 4), thus producing clean and positive movement of theslide into its wide open position. While the slide is in this position,the container 15 may be tipped to pour its contents through the opening23 of the dispensing cap` the upstanding circular wall 21 serving as auseful pouring lip during this operation, particularly when thesubstance being discharged from the container is a liquid or asemi-liquid such as strained honey. During this pouring operation thepresence of the rib 32 in the path of the skirt 31 prevents the slide 25from falling or sliding into its closed position, thus eliminating thenecessity of manually holding the slide in its open Y position whilepouring.

When a desired quantity of the contents of the container 15 has beenpoured from the opening 23 in the dispensing cap, the container may bereturned to its upright position and at the same time the slide 25 maybe moved toward its closed position. In so moving the slide, the skirt31 thereon again rides up onto the rib 32 and then snaps over the sameas the slide is moved on into its full closed position. As the slideapproaches its closed position, the left end of the slide, as seen inFigs. 4 and 5, rides along the upper edges of side walls 19 and 20 andacross the top of the circular upstanding wall or lip 21 to removetherefrom any residual liquid or the like which may have remainedthereon, the slide at the same time moving into its full closed positionwherein it completely seals the opening 23.

In' the closed position of the slide it will be noted,

particularly from Fig. 5, that the skirt 31 on the slide is interposedbetween the slide and the upper surface 22a of the top of the bodyelement 11 of the cap, thus causing the right-hand end of the slide tobe bent slightly upwardly and to be lifted slightly from this surface.This causes the ears 28 on the yslide mounting post 27 to bear upwardlyagainst the under-surface 22h of the panel 22 and the left-hand end ofthe slide to bear downwardly upon the upper surface 22a of the panel,creating an increase in friction between the slide andthe body elementwhich retains the slide in its full closed position and tends toeliminate inadvertent opening of the slide.

lt will readily be seen that the present invention is ideally suited forembodiment in a two-piece dispensing device which may be formed entirelyof inexpensive resilient plastic or the like. Assembly and disassemblyis extremely simple and therefore tends to reduce manufacturing costsand to increase ythe ease with which cleaning may be accomplished. Todisassemble the device, the slide may be moved to a half open position,the left end thereof (as seen in Figs. 4 and 5) is ilexed upwardly toraise the protrusion 26 out of the slot 24, the slide is then pivotedthrough 90 degrees to bring the ears 28 in alignment with thelongitudinal center line of the slot, and the entire slide is thenlifted from the body element. To assemble, this process is carried outin reverse order. y

Although only one form of the invention has been shown and described byway of illustration, it will be understood that the invention may beembodied in various other constructions which come within the scope ofthe appended claims whereinthe term dispensing cap is used broadly. Forexample, in an alternate construction, the body element of the cap mightvery well be an integral part or a wall of a container and might not beremovable therefrom.

I claim:

l. A dispensing cap comprising, a body element having on the exteriorthereof a longitudinally extending slide receiving surface provided witha dispensing opening therein and an elongated slot, a resilient slidemember on said surface completely covering said slot, retaining means onsaid slide member extending through said slot and engaging an interiorsurface of the body element on opposite sides of said slot for retainingsaid slide on said slide receiving surface, said resilient slide memberbeing longitudinally slidable on said slide receiving surface between anopen position wherein said dispensing opening is unobstructed by saidslide and a closed position wherein a rst end portion of said slidecovers said opening and a portion of said slide receiving surfaceadjacent the opposite end of said slide is exposed, a depending skirt onsaid opposite end of said slide, said skirt being interposed betweensaid slide and said slide receiving surface when said slide is in saidclosed position for ilexing said last-mentioned end of said slideupwardly to increase the friction between said lirst end portion of saidslide and said slide receiving surface in the vicinity of saiddispensing opening and between said retaining means and said interiorsurface to hold said slide in closed position, and an upstanding rib onsaid exposed portion of said slide receiving surface in the path of andtraversed by said skirt during movement of said slide, said dependingskirt cooperating with and being moved entirely across said rib from oneside thereof to the other in a snapping action during movement of saidslide between said open and closed positions.

2. A dispensing cap comprising, a body element having on the exteriorthereof a longitudinally extending planar slide receiving surfaceprovided with a dispensing opening therein and an elongated slot, aplanar resilient slide member on said surface completely covering saidslot, retaining means on said slide member extending throughV said slotand engaging an interior surface of the body element on opposite sidesof said slot for retaining said slide on said slide receiving surface,said resilient slide member being longitudinally slidable on said slidereceiving surface between an open position wherein said dispensingopening is unobstructed by said slide and a closed position wherein afirst end portion of said slide covers said opening and a portion ofsaid slide receiving surface adjacent the opposite end of said slide isexposed, a depending skirt on said opposite end of said slide, saidskirt being out of contact with said slide receiving surface when saidslide is in said open position and being interposed between said slideand said slide receiving surface when said slide is in said closedpositon for ilexing said last-mentioned end of said slide upwardly toincrease the friction between said rst end portion of said slide andsaid slide r receiving surface in the vicinity of said dispensing opening and between said retaining means and said interior surface to holdsaid slide in closed position, and an upstanding rib on said exposedportion of said slide receiving surface in the path of and traversed bysaid skirt during movement of said slide, said depending skirtcooperating with and being moved entirely across said rib from one sidethereof to the other in a snapping action during movement of said slidebetween said open and closed positions.

3. A dispensing cap comprising, a body element having Ail on theexterior thereof a longitudinally extending slide receiving surfaceprovided with a dispensing opening therein and an elongated slot, aresilient slide member on said surface completely covering said slot,retaining means on said slide member extending through said slot andengaging an interior surface of the body element on opposite sides ofsaid slot for retaining said slide on said slide receiving surface, saidresilient slide member being longitudinally slidable on said slidereceiving surface between an open position wherein said dispensingopening is unobstructed by said slide and a closed position wherein arst end portion of said slide covers said opening and a portion of saidslide receiving surface adjacent the opposite end of said slide isexposed, a depending skirt on said opposite end of said slide, saidskirt slidably engaging said slide receiving surface when said slide isin said closed position for exing said last-mentioned end of said slideupwardly to increase the friction between said rst end portion of saidslide and said slide receiving surface and between said retaining meansand said interior surface to hold said slide in closed position, and anupstanding rib on said exposed portion of said slide receiving surfacein the path of and traversed by said skirt during movement of saidslide, said depending skirt cooperating With and being moved entirelyacross said rib from one side thereof to the other in a snapping actionduring movement of said slide between said open and closed positions,said rib engaging the underside of said second mentioned end of saidslide and raising the same when said slide is in said open position,thereby exing said slide to retain the same in said open position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,006,484 Schooley July 2, 1935 2,152,270 Nyden Mar. 28, 1939 2,152,600Morrison Mar. 28, 1939 2,177,178 Hays Oct. 24, 1939 2,657,837 BernhardtNov. 3, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 524,358 Great Britain Aug. 5, 1940

